Tournament of Losers

All Rath wants is a quiet, peaceful life. Unfortunately, his father brings him too much trouble - and too many debts to pay - for that to ever be possible. When the local crime lord drags Rath out of bed and tells him he has three days to pay his father's latest debt, Rath doesn't know what to do. There's no way to come up with so much money in so little time. Then a friend poses an idea just ridiculous enough to work: enter the Tournament of Losers, where every 75 years, peasants compete for the chance to marry into the noble and royal houses.

Family of Lies: Sebastian

Sebastian Orwell did the only thing a smart wizard could do when he stumbled upon the wounded Crown Prince: He healed him and dumped him in a tavern where he could continue not being Sebastian's problem. Unfortunately, the prince isn't content with being alive, and he hunts Sebastian down to thank him personally. Not only is Sebastian stuck with the prince's unwanted affections, but he's also confronted by growing evidence linking the assassination attempt to someone from his father's past.

Hexbreaker: Hexworld, Book 1

New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O'Connell tunnel gang, he'll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom's secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang. Cat shifter Cicero is determined to investigate the disappearance of one friend and the death of another, even though no one else believes the cases are connected.

The Bone Doll's Twin: Tamir Triad, Book 1

As people start to recall the Oracle's prophecy, Erius begins to quietly kill off his female relatives who pose the only threat to his monarchy. Constantly in fear for her life, Princess Ariani the King's sister, gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. But Ariani is married to Lord Rhius, the patron of the powerful wizard Iya, and Iya has sinister plans for the babes.

Wolfsong

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he's a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Counterpoint: Song of the Fallen, Book 1

Ayden's life has long been guided by two emotions: love for his sister, and hatred of all things human. When he's captured in battle, he is enslaved in the service of a human prince, Freyrik Farr. Freyrik's always known elves to be beautiful and dangerous, but never has one affected him as deeply as Ayden. Teetering on a dagger's edge between duty and high treason, Freyrik discovers that some choices can change a life, and some an entire world.

Magic's Pawn: The Last Herald Mage, Book 1

In Magic's Pawn, an ancient age in the history of Valdemar comes to life - an age when the kingdom was ravaged by the ungoverned fury of bandit warlords, ferocious ice dragons, and the wild magic of wizards. A new addition to Lackey's Valdemar kingdom - and her most powerful series to date!

Sacrati

As an elite Sacrati fighter in the mighty Torian military, Theos is blessed with a city full of women who want to bear his children, and a barracks full of men proud to fight at his side and share his bed. He has everything he needs - until he captures Finnvid on a raid. Finnvid is on a secret mission to prevent the Torian invasion of his homeland Elkat. Being enslaved by Torian soldiers wasn't in his plans. Neither is his horrified fascination with the casual promiscuity of the Sacrati warriors. Men should not lie with other men - and he should not be so intrigued when they do.

The Lightning-Struck Heart

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the king's wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

Smoke & Mirrors: THIRDS, Book 7

Life for Dexter J. Daley has never been easy, but he's always found a way to pick himself back up with a smile on his face. Taken from his home and the arms of Sloane Brodie, his boyfriend and THIRDS partner, Dex finds himself in a situation as mysterious and lethal as the Therian interrogating him. Dex learns what he's secretly believed all along: his parents' death wasn't an accident.

Mad Lizard Mambo: The Kai Gracen Series, Book 2

Licensed Stalkers make their living hunting down monsters and dangerous criminals, and their lives are usually brief, brutal, and thankless. Despite being elfin and cursed with a nearly immortal lifespan, Kai didn't expect to be any different. Then Ryder, the High Lord of the Southern Rise Court, arrived in San Diego, and Kai's not-so-mundane life went from mild mayhem to full-throttle chaos.

Widdershins: Whyborne & Griffin, Book 1

Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he's ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult that murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them.

The Mermaid Murders: The Art of Murder, Book 1

Special Agent Jason West is seconded from the FBI Art Crime Team to temporarily partner with disgraced and legendary "manhunter" Sam Kennedy when it appears that Kennedy's most famous case, the capture and conviction of a serial killer known as the Huntsman, may actually have been a disastrous failure. The Huntsman is still out there...and the killing has begun again.

What Happens at Christmas

Justin is recently and unhappily single. Christmas is coming, and he doesn't want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame. Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there's never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin's boyfriend isn't a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean's more than willing. At the party pretense and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.

How to Be a Normal Person

Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one goes to. His closest friends are a lady named Lottie with drag queen hair and a trio of elderly Vespa riders known as the We Three Queens.

The Fire's Stone

A wizard, a drunkard, and a thief - three strangers who must learn to work together or Ischia is lost beneath a sea of lava. But Aaron, the thief, is hiding more than stolen jewels. Chandra, the wizard, is running from a political marriage. And Darvish, the prince Chandra is intended to marry and the man Aaron has hidden the most from, well, Darvish really needs a drink. Before they can hope to save Ischia, they must save themselves.

The Steel Remains

In just a few short years, Richard K. Morgan has vaulted to the pinnacle of the science fiction world. Now he turns his iconoclastic talents to epic fantasy, crafting a darkly violent, tautly plotted adventure sure to thrill old fans and captivate new readers.

Fish Stick Fridays

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine, until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl. Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on.

Fallow: Whyborne & Griffin, Book 8

When Griffin's past collides with his present, will it cost the lives of everyone he loves? Between the threat of a world-ending invasion from the Outside and unwelcome revelations about his own nature, Percival Endicott Whyborne is under a great deal of strain. His husband, Griffin Flaherty, wants to help - but how can he, when Whyborne won't tell him what's wrong?

In the Middle of Somewhere

Daniel Mulligan is tough, snarky, and tattooed, hiding his self-consciousness behind sarcasm. Daniel has never fit in - not at home in Philadelphia with his auto mechanic father and brothers, and not at school where his Ivy League classmates looked down on him. Now, Daniel's relieved to have a job at a small college in Holiday, Northern Michigan, but he's a city boy through and through, and it's clear that this small town is one more place he won't fit in.

The Lion and the Crow

Sir Christian Brandon was raised in a household where he was hated for his unusual beauty and for his parentage. Being smaller than his six brutish half-brothers, he learned to survive by using his wits and his gift for strategy, earning him the nickname the Crow.

Ink and Shadows

Kismet Andreas lives in fear of the shadows. For the young tattoo artist, the shadows hold more than darkness. He is certain of his insanity because the dark holds creatures and crawling things only he can see - monsters who hunt out the weak to eat their minds and souls, leaving behind only empty husks and despair. And if there's one thing Kismet fears more than being hunted - it's the madness left in its wake.

How to Wish Upon a Star: Howl at the Moon, Book 3

Dr. Jason Kunik is working on the most earth-shattering genetics project ever: DNA mapping of a new species, the quickened - dogs who can shift into human form. The problem is, no one knows the quickened exist, and Jason can't betray them by publishing his studies. When he moves to Mad Creek to continue his research in a town full of quickened, all he wants is peace, quiet, and to be allowed to bury himself in his work. Perhaps if he figures out how the mutation is activated, he can silence his own inner dog forever.

Publisher's Summary

When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn't commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But the thing he hadn't counted on was his cellmate.

Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things, none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec's new mentor.

This is a really interesting adventure. There are wizards and magic. Evil bad guys. A valiant hero and his apprentice. Adventure. Breath taking escapes. A whole world has been created for our enjoyment.

How can anyone complain of spoon fed homosexuality in this story? One of the characters entertains a few thoughts. That's about it. You will get stronger sexual references in the average TV commercial. I'm started on the second volume and so far in the two stories the only overt sexuality is heterosexual.

There are some really, really intolerant folks writing reviews. It isn't the story that did it. Must be something inside the reviewer. Are they just too stimulated at the thought that a hero might be gay?

I don't normally write reviews but felt compelled after I almost didn't download this book due to the other reviews. In fact I went to Amazon to get additional reviews since I felt what I was seeing was blatant homophobic remarks that had nothing to do with how well this book was written or if the story was engrossing. I very much enjoyed this series, the plot, writing, characters, and dialog. It was exactly what I was looking for. In fact the only negative thing I can say about this series is that I wish they would stick to the same narrator for all the books. I almost gave up listening when the narrator was changed in book 4 and to be honest I would have if I didn't enjoy the story so much! The comments given that the amazing love shared between these two men was not necessary to the story baffle me. I felt it was an integral piece of the story line to understand why they made the choices they did and brought me to care so much more about their struggles and relationship. I guarantee that if one of the main characters was a woman there would have been no complaints with the other reviewers. The emotion between them was love not lust, tasteful, moving, and beautiful.

I am completely enthralled by the series and its characters. Lynn Flewelling does a expert job of weaving together a world for her creative energies to take form in. This--the first book--is largely exposition woven into an array of adventures that build the relationship between our main characters and introduce the most influential ones to grace us throughout the rest of the series. However, I highly encourage the effort to gain the knowledge of this exposition to more fruitfully enjoy the rest of the books. Though this is not a kind of literature that begs the reader to develop grand theories of metaphor and symbolism, I would urge anyone looking for a good adventure with engaging characters to purchase this text and the ones that follow. Raymond Todd, while occasionally missing an inflection or overusing certain voices, does an excellent as far as most audiobooks go. Mainstream youth fantasy novels such as Harry Potter or the Inheritance Cycle receive more funding and are able--I imagine--to buy more studio time to master all the different characters voices.

However, I must say that I am disgusted by the heteronormative and homophobic interjections of fellow reviewers on this site. The mere idea that queer characters being present could be "unsafe for children" is appalling and deserves a good scolding. Furthermore, that this should make anyone avoid the series is outlandish. Though I suppose--to be fair--I find myself rather appalled by the blatant heterosexuality that dominates the majority of books on this site. However, until this moment, I have felt no need to scream from the rooftops that I don't wish to read/listen to such "lifestyles" being exhibited in literature. Therefore, I kindly ask all homophobic and heteronormative listeners to shove it and let listen to my queer audiobook in peace.

I will not be warned against what I look for in the first place. Heteros don't own the world, they just seem to think they do

I was pleasantly surprised by this series of books. The characters are enjoyable from the first and as they develop across the series you find some new depths. Sometimes keeping a handle on what is happening can be a bit tricky at first but I found I soon got into the flow of it. At times it is distracting that the narrator miss pronounces some of the words and the strange accents are a bit comical, but it does not distract too much. The book does not have a complex plot and because of this it works well as an audio book. Worth a listen for some good harmless fun

I'm enjoying this series (I've reviewed the second book too if you're interested). The characters feel like 'friends' after awhile, and I like that sense of companionship. They face interesting adventures, and take their time revealing themselves to each other and to the listener, so there's always something to discover. I listened to the story steadily but not obsessively ... which to me means it's a good tale!

The universe is not difficult to imagine (even without a map), and it's culture is intriguing and presented in such a way that it makes sense to the listener. I will note that this is a culture where varying forms of sexuality are considered normal (something I seem to keep stumbling across in the books I've read lately - I find it refreshing, but I realize there are many who would find it distressing so I mention it here).

Thought this book was pretty good, 'harassing the horses' and all. :D I did not think it sounded the slightest bit amateurish. Fantasy books are for light reading, after all. The before mentioned homosexual love, is stated as an abstract concept- you don't really have to worry about your kids reading this one. Ive had an excellent couple of days with this book. Looking forward to reading more of this author in the future!

I chose this title based in part on the synopsis and the high reviews. All I can say is thankfully I wasted a book credit and not $60.00 on this tedious tale. I have trudged through other books where the reader was an obstacle, but this one was the worst. I can't quite put my finger on it but the readers tone and tempo were to much to overcome. The lack of any real action made it all the worse to endure. It was all I could do to make it to Seregils recovery before giving up. The other reviews allude to a gay relationship which I must say went over my head unless it developed later in the book. I have never heard the term "harrassing the horses" in conjunction with same sex love. Was that supposed to be a major underlying theme? Sorry, I'm on to better fare.

Enjoyable story with memorable characters in an interesting setting - I didn't find the 'world-building' a problem at all. I have to echo other comments about the poor narration, however. Mispronunciations, awkward phrasing and unrecognisable accents detracted from the pleasure of this audiobook. I'll listen to the sequel for the strength of the story, but would avoid anything else with this narrator.

This was a very enjoyable read (listen?) right up until the last few seconds, when the narrative is cut off mid-action. I've read a few series of fantasy books and expect there to be some unresolved business, but this ending is entirely unsatisfactory.

If you're willing to buy the rest of the series, you'll enjoy it - but there's no resolution to this book at all so don't plan on reading it by itself.

Although it had some slow patches, this was quite an enjoyable romp and Seregil is definitely a compelling character. Under normal circumstances I'd have given it four stars. However, what spoiled it a bit for me was that nothing really got resolved at the end. It's part of a series, but it doesn't stand alone as a complete story in it's own right. If you want to know the answers to the major questions you're going to have to get the rest of the series. And I didn't enjoy it *that* much that I'm dashing to read the rest. So, all in all, it was a bit let-down at the end.

I just couldn't stand to listen for long enough to get to know what the story was about, so I don't know.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He was reading about someone being tortured in a sing-song voice, as though he was reading Noddy in Toy Town.I could have cried. I have looked forward to listening to these books for a long time. I managed to get hold of the Tamir Trilogy, by Lynn Flewelling, on Audio CD and it was brilliant, but then it was narrated by Victor Bevine, who is awesome.

What character would you cut from Luck in the Shadows?

Not A clue. In the short time I could stand to listen, there were only three characters, and I didn't find out enough about them to make any judgment.

Any additional comments?

I am utterly heartsick. This is yet another series of books destroyed by a terrible narrator. I will read the printed version and I'm sure I'll enjoy them, as Lynn Flewelling is one of my favorite authors.

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